What is the best brand of interior paint?

There isn't a single "best" brand because the right choice depends on your budget, whether you are a DIYer or hiring a pro, and how much wear and tear the room will face. However, the paint industry and professional testers generally split the crown among three top-tier brands:

• Benjamin Moore (Best Overall / Professional Favorite) — Widely considered the gold standard by professional painters and reviewers (such as The New York Times Wirecutter ). Lines like Regal Select offer incredible leveling, rich color depth, and a balance of durability and washability. Specialty lines like Scuff-X are virtually indestructible in high-traffic hallways.
• Sherwin-Williams (Best Runner-Up / Pro Availability) — A close rival to Benjamin Moore with exceptional performance. Lines like SuperPaint and Cashmere offer fantastic coverage and smooth application. They also run frequent 30% to 40% off sales, making high-end performance much more affordable if you time your purchase right.
• Behr (Best Value / DIY Pick) — Available at The Home Depot , Behr (specifically Behr Dynasty or Marquee ) regularly scores near the top of consumer testing publications like Consumer Reports for coverage and stain resistance. It is user-friendly, highly accessible, and gives you premium results without paying specialty paint-store prices.

To help narrow down the exact can you should buy, tell me:

• What room are you painting (e.g., high-moisture bathroom, high-traffic hallway, low-traffic bedroom)?
• What is your budget and preference for shopping (big-box store vs. local paint boutique)?
• Are you doing the work yourself or hiring a professional?

If you want one brand recommendation for interior walls, I’d pick Benjamin Moore—especially Regal Select for most rooms and Aura if you want a premium option. It’s known for excellent coverage, color depth, and durability.

My quick ranking:

1. Benjamin Moore — 🏆 Best overall quality
2. Sherwin-Williams — Excellent durability and application; a very close second
3. Behr — 🏆 Best value; Dynasty and Marquee are particularly strong
4. Valspar — Good mid-priced option

One interesting data point: Consumer Reports' January 2026 ratings put Behr Dynasty at #1 with a 96, followed by HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Showcase and Behr Marquee at 95.

What I'd buy

• Best overall: Benjamin Moore Regal Select
• Best premium: Benjamin Moore Aura
• Best for high-traffic areas: Sherwin-Williams Duration or Emerald
• Best bang for the buck: Behr Dynasty
• Bedrooms/low-traffic rooms: Behr Ultra or Benjamin Moore Regal Select

If you tell me which room you're painting (living room, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, etc.) and whether you want flat, eggshell, satin, or semi-gloss, I can recommend the exact paint line and finish.

If you want the best overall interior paint, I’d pick Benjamin Moore Aura.

• Benjamin Moore Aura Interior Paint - $112.86 (Regal Paint Centers)

My ranking

• 🥇 Benjamin Moore Aura — Best overall. Excellent coverage, rich color, very good durability, and outstanding resistance to scrubbing and scuffs. Benjamin Moore specifically positions Aura as its highest-performing interior line, with Color Lock technology and 3,500+ colors.
• 🥈 Sherwin-Williams Emerald — My choice for high-traffic areas, kitchens, hallways, and homes where walls get cleaned frequently. It's also a particularly good buy when Sherwin-Williams has one of its frequent sales. Independent comparisons generally put Aura and Emerald very close.
• 🥉 Benjamin Moore Regal Select — Best value for most homeowners. Interestingly, 2026 Consumer Reports ratings reproduced by Behr show Regal Select scoring higher overall than Sherwin-Williams Emerald in its tested group.
• Behr Dynasty — Best if you want excellent performance from a readily available Home Depot product at a lower price. Current examples are around $64–$73/gallon.

If money isn't the main concern: Aura. If you want the best value: Regal Select. If you have kids/pets and expect lots of scrubbing: Emerald or Aura. If you're painting an entire house: I'd probably use Regal Select or Emerald rather than paying Aura prices for every room.

One important caveat: the paint line matters less than surface preparation and the sheen. A properly prepped wall with good mid/high-quality paint will usually look better than a poorly prepped wall with $110/gallon paint.

If you tell me what room you're painting (living room, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, etc.) and whether you want matte, eggshell, or satin, I can tell you the exact paint I'd buy.

The best interior paint brands consistently chosen by professional painters, designers, and consumer testing labs are Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams , and Behr . While Benjamin Moore is highly celebrated by designers for its color depth, Sherwin-Williams dominates the professional contractor market, and Behr repeatedly wins top honors in lab tests for pure value and stain resistance.

The top interior paint brands are categorized below by their strengths, including their standout product lines and real-world performance.

Top Tier: Premium Quality & Designer Favorites

These brands are sold at dedicated paint stores or authorized independent dealers. They feature highly refined pigments and exceptional self-leveling properties that minimize brush and roller marks.

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• Widely considered the best all-around premium wall paint by professionals.
• Features a Class 1 scrub rating, making even its smooth matte finish highly washable and stain-resistant.
• Engineered with proprietary waterborne colorants for unmatched color accuracy across 3,500+ shades.

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• The brand's top-of-the-line interior paint, praised for coverage and consistent, forgiving application.
• Features built-in mildew and moisture resistance, making it an excellent choice for bathroom ceilings and accent walls.
• Provides maximum resistance to scuffs and stains in high-traffic family spaces.

• The industry standard for painting interior doors, trim, and kitchen cabinets.
• A waterborne alkyd formula that mimics the hard, furniture-like finish of old oil-based paints but cleans up easily with soap and water.

Retail Tier: Best Value & DIY Convenience

Available at major home improvement retailers, these options provide exceptional hide and durability without the premium specialty store price tag.

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• Ranked as the number one overall interior paint by Consumer Reports testing labs.
• Delivers unmatched "one-coat hide" performance over dark colors, saving significant project time.
• Formulated with advanced scuff and stain defense that excels in active households.

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• A slightly more affordable alternative to Dynasty that still delivers excellent stain blocking and a smooth finish.
• Features a fast one-hour dry time and is highly resilient against everyday abrasions.

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• Available exclusively at Lowe's and highly rated by independent consumer groups.
• Utilizes specialized water-based colorant technology with high-strength pigments for deep color retention.
• Highly recommended for its thick, professional-grade coverage in high-traffic rooms.

Specialty & Luxury Tier

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• A luxury UK brand favored by high-end interior designers for its historical palettes and deep pigment levels.
• The "Dead Flat" line offers an ultra-matte, light-absorbing finish that hides wall imperfections completely while remaining wipeable.
• Significantly more expensive, often costing around $160 per gallon.

Brand Comparison Matrix

To narrow this down for your project, could you tell me which room you are planning to paint and what type of surface (e.g., standard walls, bathroom, kitchen cabinets, or trim) you are working on?

If you want the best overall interior paint, I’d put Benjamin Moore at the top, particularly Regal Select for most rooms and Aura if you want their premium option. Current comparisons put Benjamin Moore slightly ahead overall, while Sherwin-Williams is a very close second.

My picks

• 🥇 Best overall: Benjamin Moore Regal Select — excellent coverage, smooth application, durability, and washability. Benjamin Moore specifically emphasizes its scuff resistance and washability.

• 🥈 Best premium: Sherwin-Williams Emerald — excellent choice for high-traffic areas and a particularly good option if you want Sherwin-Williams colors.

• 🥉 Best value: Behr Dynasty — surprisingly strong performance for the price. In Consumer Reports' January 2026 testing, Dynasty scored 99 overall, substantially ahead of the other paints listed in the report.

• BEHR DYNASTY Interior Paint - $63.98 (The Home Depot)

One important caveat: paint line matters more than brand name. I would rather use Behr Dynasty than a lower-tier Benjamin Moore or Sherwin-Williams product.

If you tell me which room you're painting (living room, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, etc.) and whether you have kids/pets, I can recommend the exact brand + paint line + sheen I'd buy.

The best overall interior paint brand is Benjamin Moore , prized for its superior color fidelity, smooth application, and exceptional coverage. Sherwin-Williams and Behr rank closely behind as top competitors depending on your budget and project needs.

Top Interior Paint Brands Compared

Brand Breakdown

• Benjamin Moore: Ranked first overall by many experts for its high-end finish. Its Aura line offers deep color retention, while Regal Select provides fantastic scrub resistance.
• Sherwin-Williams: A favorite among professional painters. Lines like Emerald and Duration stand up well to frequent washing and heavy household traffic.
• Behr: Available exclusively at The Home Depot, Behr gives DIYers the best balance of low cost and reliable one-to-two-coat coverage.

If you share your budget , the room you are painting (such as a high-moisture bathroom or high-traffic hallway), and whether you prefer DIY or hiring a pro , I can recommend the exact product line and sheen for your project.

There is no single "best" brand because the right choice depends on whether you are prioritizing professional performance, DIY ease, or budget. However, industry experts, contractor data, and lab testing generally split the top spot among three major names:

• Benjamin Moore (Best Overall & Professional Choice) : Widely considered the gold standard by interior designers and professional painters. Lines like Regal Select offer incredible washability and smooth application, while Aura provides unmatched color depth and saturation. They also boast the largest and most accurate color library.
• Sherwin-Williams (Best for Durability and Coverage) : A close rival to Benjamin Moore and a massive favorite among contractors. Lines like SuperPaint and Duration Home offer excellent coverage per gallon and stand up remarkably well to high-traffic wear and tear. (Pro tip: Never pay full price at a Sherwin-Williams brick-and-mortar store; they run frequent 30% to 40% off sales).
• Behr (Best Value & DIY Performance) : Exclusively sold at Home Depot, Behr routinely dominates independent consumer testing (such as Consumer Reports ) for its stellar hiding power (covering dark colors easily) and stain resistance at a much friendlier price point than the specialty paint stores. Lines like Marquee and Dynasty perform near the top of the market.
• Farrow & Ball (Best Luxury/Designer) : Known for its ultra-matte, chalky signature finish and hyper-curated historic color palettes. It is notoriously expensive and requires specific primers, but delivers a unique, velvety depth that design purists love.

To help narrow down which specific line you need, tell me:

• Are you painting yourself or hiring a pro?
• Which room are you painting (e.g., high-moisture bathroom, high-traffic hallway, or trim/cabinets)?
• What is your budget priority?

If you want one brand I’d recommend for most interior painting jobs, I’d choose Benjamin Moore—especially Regal Select. It’s an excellent balance of coverage, durability, finish quality, and color selection.

That said, there isn’t one clear winner across every paint line. Consumer Reports’ 2026 testing found that individual formulas can vary substantially even within the same brand.

My picks

Interestingly, Consumer Reports' 2026 testing shows Behr, Benjamin Moore, and Sherwin-Williams all have strong performers, but the specific formula matters more than the logo on the can.

If it were my house:

• 🏆 Best overall: Benjamin Moore Regal Select
• 💎 Best premium: Benjamin Moore Aura
• 🛡️ Best for kids/high traffic: Sherwin-Williams Emerald
• 💰 Best value: Behr Dynasty
• 🏠 For ceilings: a dedicated flat ceiling paint rather than your premium wall paint

If you tell me what room you're painting (living room, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, etc.) and whether you want matte, eggshell, or satin, I can tell you the exact paint line and finish I'd buy.

The "best" brand of interior paint depends on whether you value lab-tested performance , professional painter preference, or budget-friendly availability. The market is led by a few standout brands, each with distinct advantages:

• Benjamin Moore is widely considered by interior designers and professional painters as the overall best brand . Lines like Regal Select and luxury Aura offer exceptional color depth, smooth leveling (minimal brush strokes), and superior long-term durability. It is primarily sold through independent hardware and paint dealers.
• Sherwin-Williams is the main rival to Benjamin Moore and the top pick for many contractors. Lines like SuperPaint and Emerald excel in coverage-per-gallon and washability. They frequently run 30% to 40% off sales, making their high-end lines much more competitively priced.
• Behr (exclusive to Home Depot ) consistently dominates consumer testing labs like Consumer Reports for its high scores in hiding power (covering old or dark colors) and stain resistance. Lines like Behr Dynasty and Marquee give premium independent brands a run for their money at a lower price point.
• Valspar (exclusive to Lowe's ) is another strong DIY contender. Formulas like Valspar Reserve score very high in one-coat coverage and scratch/stain resistance while maintaining eco-friendly low-VOC certifications.

If you want to narrow it down, tell me:

• Are you DIYing this yourself or hiring a professional?
• What room are you painting (kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, trim)?
• Do you have a specific budget in mind?

I can give you the exact paint line and finish that will work best for your project.

If you want one brand that I’d pick for most interior walls, I’d go with Benjamin Moore. It currently ranks highest in J.D. Power’s 2026 interior-paint satisfaction study, ahead of Behr and Sherwin-Williams.

My ranking:

1. Benjamin Moore — best overall
   Excellent finish, color selection, durability, and touch-up performance. Regal Select is the sweet spot for most rooms; Aura is the premium choice.

2. Sherwin-Williams — best for professionals
   Particularly good product lines and widely available through dedicated paint stores. Emerald is their premium interior line.

3. Behr — best value
   This is the sleeper choice. Consumer Reports' 2026 testing actually put Behr Dynasty at the top, with excellent hiding and stain resistance.

BEHR DYNASTY Interior Paint

$63.98

What I'd buy

One important point: the paint line matters almost as much as the brand. I'd rather use a top-tier Behr, Benjamin Moore, or Sherwin-Williams product than a bargain-grade product from a "better" brand.

If you tell me what room you're painting (living room, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, etc.) and whether you're painting walls, ceilings, or trim, I can give you the exact paint + sheen I'd buy.